Communicourt is a legal services company, based in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

in the

West Midlands West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...

, United Kingdom. It is one of the two companies providing Non-Registered Intermediaries for defendants in criminal proceedings and

respondents {{unreferenced, date=February 2012 A respondent is a person who is called upon to issue a response to a communication made by another. The term is used in legal contexts, in survey methodology, and in psychological conditioning. Legal usage In ...

in family proceedings in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. The company provides legal

intermediaries An intermediary (or go-between) is a third party that offers intermediation services between two parties, which involves conveying messages between principals in a dispute, preventing direct contact and potential escalation of the issue. In law ...

outside the Witness Intermediary Scheme run by the

Ministry of Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Just ...

which has not historically provided intermediaries for defendants in court cases. In addition to the provision provided for defendants in the criminal courts, Communicourt offers an intermediary service for vulnerable respondents in the family courts. Criminal Practice Directions allow the court the discretion to appoint an intermediary for a vulnerable defendant because the Ministry of Justice does not offer this service. Communicourt was founded in 2011 by Naomi Mason, who works as a

Registered Intermediary A Registered Intermediary, in England and Wales, assists in communication between lawyers and vulnerable witnesses in court cases. Many people attending court as victims or witnesses have difficulties understanding the questions that they are asked ...

and a Non-Registered Intermediary. The company recruits Speech and language therapists and Psychology graduates with an interest in the legal system, and with relevant and specialist knowledge and experience. Communicourt staff then undergo an extensive Intermediary Training Programme and complete intermediary competencies, alongside ongoing continued professional development (CPD) and excellent professional supervision. Intermediaries are not

appropriate adult In English law, an appropriate adult is a parent, guardian or social worker; or if no person matching this is available, any responsible person over 18. The term was introduced as part of the policing reforms in the Police and Criminal Evidence ...

s or expert witnesses whilst undertaking this role. Young male offenders are at high risk for previously undetected oral language deficits, and this risk increases as severity of offending increases. There are many vulnerable defendants that stand trial requiring professional assistance. Communicourt work closely with the defendant, court personnel and counsel during proceedings. As of November 2018, Communicourt has 30 full-time intermediaries and an administration team.

References

{{Reflist Companies based in Dudley 2011 establishments in England Law firms established in 2011